2

Tim. Would thou wert clean enough to spit upon,
A plague on thee!

Apem. Thou art too bad to curse.
Tim. All villains that do stand by thee, are pure.
Apem. There is no leprosie but what thou speak'st.
Tim. 3 /I'd beat thee, but I should infect my hands.
Apem. I would my tongue could rot them off !

Tim. Away, thou issue of a mangy dog!
Choler does kill me, that thou art aliye ;
I swoon to see thee.

Apem. 3 'I would thou wouldīt burst!

Tim. Away, thou tedious rogue, I am forry I
Shall lose a stone by thee.

Apen. Beast!
Tim. Slave!

Apem. Toad!

Tim. “'Rogue !
I am fick of this false world, and will love nought
But ev'n the meer necessities upon it.
Then, Timon, presently prepare thy grave ;
Lye where the light foam of the sea may beat
Thy grave-stone daily ; make thine epitaph,
That death in me at others lives may laugh.
O thou sweet King-killer, and dear divorce

[Looking on the gold.
'Twixt natural son and fire! thou bright defler
Of Hymen's purest bed! thou valiant Mars,
Thou ever young, fresh, lov’d, and delicate wooer,
Whose blush doth thaw the consecrated snow,
That lyes on Dian's lap! thou visible God,
That souldrest close impoffibilities,
And mak’ft them kiss! that speak'st with every tongue
To every purpose! Oh, thou touch of hearts !
Think thy nave man rebels, and by thy virtue
Set them into confounding odds, that beasts
May have the world in empire.

Apem. Would 'cwere so,
But not 'till I am dead! I'll say th' haft gold;

Y

Thou wilt be throng'd to shortly.

Tim. Throng'd to?
Apem. Ay.

s 'Tim. Thy back, I pr’ythee : live and love thy misery:
Long live so or so die, so I am quit.
Mo things like men? eat, Timon, and abhor them.'

[Seeing the Thieves. Apem. The plague of company light upon thee! I will fear to catch it, and give way. When I know not what else to do, I'll see thee again.

Tim. When there is nothing living but thee, thou shalt be welcome. I had rather be a beggar's dog than Apemantus.

[Exit Apemantus. S CE NE VII.

Enter Thieves, 1 Thief. Where should he have this gold? It is some poor fragment, some Nender ort of his remainder : the meer want of gold, and the falling off of friends, drove him into this melancholy.

2 Thief. It is nois'd he hath a mass of treasure.

3 Thief Let us make the assay upon him; if he care not for't, he will supply us easily: if he covetously reserve it, how shall's get it?

All. We are not thieves, but men that much do want.

Tim. Your greatest want is, you want much of ? 'men. Why should you want? behold, the earth hath roots ; Within this mile break forth an hundred springs; The oaks bear maits, the briers scarlet hips. The bounteous hufwife nature on each bush Lays her full mess before you. Want? why want?

i Thief. We cannot live on grass, on berries, water, As beafts, and birds, and fishes.

Tim. Nor on the beasts themselves, the birds, and fishes. You must eat men. Yet thanks I must you con, That you are thieves profest ; that you work not In holier shapes; for there is boundless theft In limited professions. Rascals, thieves, Here's gold. Go, fuck the subtle blood o'th' grape 'Till the high feaver seeth your blood to froth, And so 'scape hanging. Trust not the physician, His antidotes are poison, and he Nays More than you • Prob, takes wealth, and life together.! Do villainy, do, since you profess to do't, Like workmen ; I'll example you with thievery. The sun's a thief, and with his great attraction Robs the vast sea. The moon's an arrant thief, And her pale fire she snatches from the sun. The sea's a thief, whose liquid surge resolves The 9 'mounds into falt tears. The earth's a thief, That feeds and breeds by a composture ftoln From gen'ral excrement: each thing's a thief. The laws, your curb and whip, in their rough power Have uncheck'd theft. Love not your selves, away, Rob one another, there's more gold; cut throats ; All that you meet are thieves : to Athens go, Break open shops, for nothing can you steal But thieyes do lose it : steal not less for what 1 give, and gold confound you howsoever ! Amen. [Exit. Vol. V.

E

3 Tbief. 7 meat or meet. 8 rob. Take wealth, and live together, 9 moon .. , old edit, Warb, emerd,

3 Thief. Has almost charm'd me from my profession, by perswading me to it.

i Tbief. 'Tis in 'This malice to mankind, that he thus advises us; not to have us thrive in our mystery.

2 Thief. I'll believe him as an enemy; and give over 1 Thief. Let us first see peace in Athens. 1/2 Thief. There is no time so miserable but a man may

(Exeunt.

my trade.

be true.

H you Gods!
Is yon despis'd and ruinous man my Lord?

Full of decay and failing? oh monument
And wonder of good deeds evilly bestow'd!
What change of honour desp'rate want has made!
What viler thing upon the earth, than friends,
Who can bring noblest minds to basest ends ?
How rarely does it meet with this time's guise,
When man was wifht to love his enemies !
Grant I may ever love and rather woo
Those that would mischief me, than those that do.
H’as caught me in his eye, I will present
My honest grief to him ; and, as my Lord,
Still serve him with my life. My dearest master !

Tim. Away! what art thou ?
Flav. Have you forgot me, Sir?

Tim. Why doft ask that? I have forgot all men.
Then if thou grantest that thou art a man
I have forgot thee.

Flav. An honest servant.

Tim. Then I know thee not:
I ne'er had honest man about me, all
I kept were knaves, to serve in meat to villains.

Flav. The Gods are witness,
Ne'er did poor steward wear a truer grief
For his undone Lord, than mine eyes for you. [thee,

Tim. What, dost thou weep? come nearer ; then I love Because thou art a woman, and disclaim'st Flinty mankind; whose eyes do never give, But or through luft, or laughter. *

Flav. I beg of you to know me, good my Lord,
T'accept my grief, and whilst this poor wealth lasts,
To entertain me as your steward stilī.

Tim. Had I a steward
So true, so just, and now so comfortable ?
It almost turns my dangerous nature 3 'mild.)
Let me behold thy face : surely, this man
Was born of woman.
Forgive my gen’ral and exceptless rashness,
Perpetual-sober Gods! I do proclaim
One honest man: mistake me not, but one.
No more I pray, and he's + 'a steward too."
How fain would I have hated all mankind,
And thou redeem'st thy felf: but all save thee
I fell with curses.
Methinks thou art more honest now than wise :
For, by oppressing and betraying me,
Thou might'st have sooner got another service :
For

many so arrive at second masters,
Upon their first Lord's neck. But tell me true,

(For (a) — or laughter. Pity's sleeping; Strange times ! that weep with laughing, not with weeping.

Flav. I beg of 3 wild,

4

E 2

.